John Barberini smeared his face with black shoe polish, blew up a gas station, and changed the lives of the 200 residents of the tiny town of Chugwater, Wyoming, "because the hot dogs were cold."

He crashed his Chevy Blazer into Chugwater’s only gas station/grocery store and second biggest employer. The explosion also affected their biggest employer (15), Chugwater Chili, who sold packets of their mix through Horton’s Corner.

Now Chugwater residents have to make the 80 mile round trip to Cheyenne for gas, or the 48 mile round trip to Wheatland to get gas. That's where I met Sylvia. She works at the Sinclair station which is owned by the couple who lost Horton’s in the fire. Here she tells the tale of why thousands of people are affected by no gas in Chugwater.

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Coop/TSM
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It doesn't look like Chugwater or the motorists on I-25 will get any relief. The elderly owners aren't up to rebuilding and no one has stepped up to buy Horton’s or build a new facility. All because, "the hot dogs were cold, the chili was cold, the bathrooms were dirty and the girls needed to be warmed up." according to a sheriff’s deputy report.

Sylvia, thanks for the great story and exceptional service and attitude.

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